Author Topic: Hidden gems? (Read 16255 times)

The Pyramids · « **on:** October 15, 2005, 11:15:38 AM »

I recently watched eps. of 'Catch Phrase', 'Bargain Hunters' and 'All Star Blitz.' Does anyone think there is a 'hidden gem' in the line-up? Personaly I like 'Blitz.' If you like Peter Marshall's 'Hollywood Squares' you'll find this passable.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:09:41 PM »

[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 11:15 AM\']I recently watched eps. of 'Catch Phrase', 'Bargain Hunters' and 'All Star Blitz.' Does anyone think there is a 'hidden gem' in the line-up? Personaly I like 'Blitz.' If you like Peter Marshall's 'Hollywood Squares' you'll find this passable.[/quote]
"Passable" is not my definition of a hidden gem, and passable is all that Blitz really is.

As far as I'm concerned, the hidden gem of the 80s is Every Second Counts. Good, solid lightweight game with an intense bonus round and a nice pace. Lots of game play, plus lots of room for humor, and a host who was a nice fit for both.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:12:55 PM »

Quote

As far as I'm concerned, the hidden gem of the 80s is Every Second Counts.

And to say it went under the radar - even ours - is an understatement. It rarely gets brought up, and has little to no website presence either.

-Jason

clemon79 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:20:08 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 01:09 PM\']As far as I'm concerned, the hidden gem of the 80s is Every Second Counts. Good, solid lightweight game with an intense bonus round and a nice pace. Lots of game play, plus lots of room for humor, and a host who was a nice fit for both.

[snapback]99576[/snapback]

[/quote]
Two letters. G and O.

Literally the ONLY problem was the scoring system, for my money. Fix that and it's one of the all-time great games.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:30:26 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 04:20 PM\']Two letters. G and O.

Literally the ONLY problem was the scoring system, for my money. Fix that and it's one of the all-time great games.[/quote]
I'd have liked it more if the bonus round didn't feel like an afterthought, but GO is way up there on my list too. I use the theme music as our daily newscast theme at the high school, and the kids are always amazed when I tell them it's from a 25-year-old game show. I show them a tape, and they're transfixed by the game.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:31:59 PM »

Quote

Literally the ONLY problem was the scoring system, for my money.

How would you personally fix it? It came to my mind they could do it best-of-3 and have the game straddle, but maybe not.

If I'm understanding correctly, they changed the format to where the teams stayed on the whole week, which IMO was better since saying goodbye to 4 entire contestants after really not much game at all would be damaging to your pool in a matter of days.

-Jason

clemon79 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2005, 04:43:06 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 01:31 PM\']How would you personally fix it? It came to my mind they could do it best-of-3 and have the game straddle, but maybe not.
[/quote]
Don't know. It doesn't feel like a show that works well straddling, so they probably did the best they could with what they had. I just don't care for the "the game will be decided by this last round regardless of score" thing, along with "winning the second or third puzzle matters not at all unless you ALSO won the first one" thing. Making the endgame a double endgame when one team ended the maingame early was a stroke of genius, though.

Matt: How do you feel the endgame was an afterthought? It tweaks the maingame a little, while still keeping the main gimmick of the show. Sounds pretty standard to me. And it's certainly engaging.

Quote

If I'm understanding correctly, they changed the format to where the teams stayed on the whole week, which IMO was better since saying goodbye to 4 entire contestants after really not much game at all would be damaging to your pool in a matter of days.
[snapback]99583[/snapback]

Yeah, you're not understanding correctly. I'm pretty sure they always had the same 8 civilian players on all week, and they shuffled up teams on each show.

pyrfan · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2005, 05:32:34 PM »

Quote

Yeah, you're not understanding correctly. I'm pretty sure they always had the same 8 civilian players on all week, and they shuffled up teams on each show.
[snapback]99584[/snapback]

Actually, for the first four weeks, they did have teams go home if they lost a game. In week number 5, they started having the same 8 contestants play for the whole week.

While I can appreciate Chris' points about the scoring system, I still think it was a better one than that of "Body Language" or "Super Password," where entire rounds were completely irrelevant to the score in every game.

Great gem of the '80s, though. And, as I've stated here before, Kevin O'Connell deserved to host other games. I think he did a first-rate job of moving the game along and letting the celebs shine while still keeping them in check.

Brendan

tvmitch · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2005, 05:33:14 PM »

IIRC, on Go, each team was made up of four players who stuck together the whole week. The celebs changed teams daily.

And yeah, I agree with both thoughts on Go and ESC...both were fantastic shows. Go deserved way more than its 13 weeks.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2005, 07:57:52 PM »

....but if Go had gone on, there might not have been a Hot Potato. Interesting that a Bill Cullen show replaced a show that was partially based on another Bill Cullen show.

Even before Catch Phrase debuted, L-T was touting the "insurance policy" clause that if the show failed to meet expectations, L-T would have a replacement at the ready. It was like they would not tolerate anything but a smash hit. I think they pulled the trigger too early on CP, I enjoyed seeing Art James again, he looked pretty much the same as he did the last time I saw him on MMM eight years earlier. That it lasted much longer overseas proved it was a good concept. The replacement show offered, Perfect Match was not as well done, IMO, though it did give Bob Goen his first show.

Neumms · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2005, 08:56:47 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 06:57 PM\']....but if Go had gone on, there might not have been a Hot Potato.

[snapback]99601[/snapback]

[/quote]

Gosh, maybe I should have told more of my friends to watch Go.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2005, 10:31:58 PM »

I liked Go a lot, too, but another mild problem for me was the judging of "proper English sentences" (same as Instant Reaction). I didn't want the judges hitting the cuckoo every time someone screwed up a verb tense, but where does one draw the line?

SRIV94 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2005, 11:33:53 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 07:56 PM\'][quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 06:57 PM\']....but if Go had gone on, there might not have been a Hot Potato.

[snapback]99601[/snapback]

[/quote]

Gosh, maybe I should have told more of my friends to watch Go.

[snapback]99604[/snapback]

[/quote]
GO had the same problem most shows in that time slot had--the time slot itself. Even HP didn't run that much longer--it just seemed like it did (no need to mention the constant cycles on USA and GSN).

Doug

Adam Nedeff · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2005, 12:22:17 AM »

My vote goes to "Hit Man," a neat memory game with a good format; on top of that, it used some great writing and photo-doctoring to keep those mini-documentaries interesting, and had a set and theme busting with atmosphere.

I also have to say I'm kind of surprised at how popular "Go!" is. I have two episodes and frankly that's all I want. My...problem...is...I...CAN!...only...uh, listen...to...people...talk...like...THIS!...for...so...long...without...wanting...to....er, hit...myself...over...the...HEAD!...with...a...hammer. (Ding.)

SRIV94 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2005, 12:56:37 AM »

[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' date=\'Oct 15 2005, 11:22 PM\']My vote goes to "Hit Man," a neat memory game with a good format; on top of that, it used some great writing and photo-doctoring to keep those mini-documentaries interesting, and had a set and theme busting with atmosphere.

[snapback]99616[/snapback]

[/quote]
I'll second it. HIT MAN actually did more for me than the $otC revival at that time in terms of me getting excited about NBC's return to the genre (ask no questions about JUST MEN).

Close second for me would be BATTLESTARS. In my heart, I never forgave the 1981-82 version for taking CS' place in the line-up--a decision that I would regret. So I watched the 1983 version with relish (opening for a cheap joke here). Sorry it didn't stick around (but like GO and HP, the time slot was kind of the issue).

Doug